LEADERSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE CORE: SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Michelle M. Mielke, Ph.D. The overall objective of the Leadership and Administrative Core (LAC) of the Mayo Clinic Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences is to provide centralized, efficient mechanisms by which the scientific and educational programs can be monitored, evaluated, and continuously improved. To achieve this objective, a set of practices are established to assure that all aspects of the SCORE are administered efficiently and fairly, and that the overall project encourages innovation and career development of the next generation of researchers in women's health and sex differences. Drs. Mielke and Miller, the Co-Principal Investigators for this SCORE, will serve as Co-Directors along with Dr. Rocca, Associate Director. They are responsible for planning, reviewing, coordinating, and directing the SCORE through regular meetings of the SCORE Investigators and the internal and external advisory groups. Decisions regarding allocation of resources, prioritization of goals, and changes in direction of the program will be made by Dr. Mielke based on input from these advisory groups. An Executive Committee, consisting of all the Principal Investigators of the projects and cores, will select candidates for the Career Enhancement Awards and the Research Stimulus Awards developed through the Career Enhancement Core that is designed to assure viability of the Center for the next generation of investigators in sex-differences research. The LAC has developed a plan for the financial management of the SCORE, for conflict resolution, and for communicating and disseminating our ongoing research findings and resources to the broader clinical and research community. The network established among the SCORE investigators nationwide and their external connections with other professional groups focused on women's health and sex differences assures that the Mayo Clinic SCORE fulfills the intent and objective for which the program was created.